1
as in sore
causing or feeling bodily pain
a very painful toothache her broken arm was too painful for her to go on the trip
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in harsh
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
it's been very painful to accept that my father is gone forever
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of painful
Brooke Shields is revealing many private and sometimes painful moments in her new memoir, including that a doctor once performed a vaginal rejuvenation procedure without her consent.
—
Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2025
With his team facing another painful defeat, Cairo Santos sweetly struck the ball in the final moments of the game.
—Eduardo Tansley, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
The Bears offensive issues were the primary factor in their returning from Indianapolis 1-2 — from the strip-sack to Williams’ two interceptions to a painful first-half red-zone sequence in which the Bears ran 10 plays inside the 20 and four from the 4 or closer and didn’t score any points.
—Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2025
Wear sunscreen every day, all day to avoid painful sunburn.
—Will McGough, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for painful 
Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2025
With his team facing another painful defeat, Cairo Santos sweetly struck the ball in the final moments of the game.
—Eduardo Tansley, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
The Bears offensive issues were the primary factor in their returning from Indianapolis 1-2 — from the strip-sack to Williams’ two interceptions to a painful first-half red-zone sequence in which the Bears ran 10 plays inside the 20 and four from the 4 or closer and didn’t score any points.
—Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2025
Wear sunscreen every day, all day to avoid painful sunburn.
—Will McGough, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for painful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for painful
Adjective
-
On the other hand, the playoff losses to the San Francisco 49ers sting and the postseason blowout to the Green Bay Packers stick out like a sore thumb.—
Saad Yousuf,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
-
One-Hour Payouts, Guaranteed Payout delays have long been a sore spot for prop traders.—
Somesh Kapuria,
Forbes,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Soviet scientists at the time believed that strays, given that they were already accustomed to harsh conditions, would be better suited to the extreme environments of space.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
11 Jan. 2025
-
Florida threatens to lead the nation in state killings now because of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new law, the nation’s harshest, allowing as few as eight of 12 jurors to recommend execution instead of a unanimous verdict.—
Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards,
Orlando Sentinel,
11 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Somebody Somewhere is tiny: a gorgeous, introspective, intimate story about a woman with devastatingly mundane problems whose chief obstacle is her own aching sense of grief and dislocation.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
9 Dec. 2024
-
In this novel about the shape-shifting nature of love, Parsons captures Kit’s grief in aching and honest terms.—
Annabel Gutterman,
TIME,
6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
And having more thoughtful conversations doesn’t preclude the need sometimes to confront those who are needlessly cruel or organizations that benefit from such exploitation.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
18 Jan. 2025
-
In recent months, the Justice Department and the state filed thousands of pages of new records in the lawsuit, including reports and sworn statements from pediatricians, scholars and others who describe Florida’s policies as archaic and cruel.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Editor’s picks ‘Brutal beatings’ Cooper and hundreds of Dozier students accused school wardens of torturous abuse over minor infractions, like whippings, beatings, forced labor, and medical neglect.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
15 Dec. 2024
-
Minuscule, meticulous, torturous, and incomprehensible to most mortals.—
Jean-Philippe Toussaint,
Harper's Magazine,
22 July 2024
Adjective
-
This injury not only caused excruciating pain but also forced her into a desperate situation where humans, slower and less elusive than her natural prey, became her sole means of survival.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
16 Jan. 2025
-
The harrowing reality is that Hamas may have once again learned a chilling lesson: that abducting Israelis is a devastatingly effective tactic to fracture Israeli society and extract excruciating concessions.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
No one wants to leave as the agonizing identification process takes place.—
Beomsu Jo,
NBC News,
31 Dec. 2024
-
Despite timely access to treatment often being critical to recovery, new patients in the U.S. face an agonizing 26-day wait to see a physician on average.—
Max Votek,
Forbes,
26 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Trump and Obama’s political rivalry has led to bitter attacks during the past three presidential campaigns.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
11 Jan. 2025
-
Despite a fresh round of bitter cold, snow, freezing rain and ice, Cotton Bowl officials plan to proceed with kickoff at 6:30 p.m. tonight at AT&T Stadium.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near painful
Cite this Entry
“Painful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/painful. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share